Allen Forwarding Co. v. United States

57 Cust. Ct. 675, 1966 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1725
CourtUnited States Customs Court
DecidedNovember 9, 1966
DocketR.D. 11236; Entry Nos. 20828; 31367
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 57 Cust. Ct. 675 (Allen Forwarding Co. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Customs Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Allen Forwarding Co. v. United States, 57 Cust. Ct. 675, 1966 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1725 (cusc 1966).

Opinion

Wilson, Judge:

These two appeals for reappraisement were consolidated for trial. The plaintiff challenges the correctness of the appraised value of certain merchandise invoiced as %-inch Armour-plate glass, in sheet sizes of 54% by 78% inches and 78% by 103% inches. This merchandise was manufactured and exported by Pilk-ington Brothers, Limited, of St. Helens, England, hereinafter referred to as Pilkington, on or about December 12,1963, and March 25, 1964, respectively, as indicated in R64/15772 and R65/2763. The invoiced [676]*676unit price of tlie involved glass is $1.89 per square foot regardless of the size of the sheets imported. Appraisement in both appeals was made at the invoiced unit value of $1.89 per square foot, less 2 per centum, packed, less the charges for invoiced ocean freight and insurance.

The plaintiff, while accepting export value as the true basis for appraisal, claims that the true dutiable value of the goods, at the time of exportation, was the entered unit price of $1.89 per square foot, less 2 per centum, packed, less charges for ocean freight and insurance, and less additional deductions for certain alleged quantity and competitive price discounts. Certain deductions of 5, Y1^, and 10 per centum are shown on the invoices hut are not identified as quantity and competitive price deductions. There is no explanation on the invoices concerning the purpose or meaning of these items claimed as deductible from the appraised value. Plaintiff takes the position that the appraiser did not make a per se appraisal in that “he failed to take into consideration the quantity and the competitive price discounts.”

The defendant contends that the appraisal was based upon per se values and that there is nothing to indicate that the appraiser deducted anything from the amount he found to represent the true dutiable values. In other words, the deductions to which the plaintiff asserts it is entitled had no bearing whatever upon the appraiser’s computations in arriving at what is alleged to be the actual market value of the goods at the time of exportation.

Inasmuch as the plaintiff acknowledges export value to be the proper basis for appraisal but asserts that an export value other than that found by the appraiser represents the proper value for dutiable purposes, it is charged with the responsibility or with the burden of proving by competent, persuasive evidence that the claimed dutiable value is the proper basis for appraisement as well as that the official appraisement is erroneous. Counsel for plaintiff, in its brief, acknowledges that plaintiff bears the burden of establishing that all the elements of export value contained in section 402(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended by the Customs Simplification Act of 1956, T.D. 54165, have been established through its proof.

The parties agree that export value is the proper basis for appraisement and that the imported glass is not on the final list, T.D. 54521. The statute with which we are here concerned, section 402(b) of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, supra, reads as follows:

ExpoRt Valué.- — For the purposes of this section, the export value of imported merchandise shall be the price, at the time of exportation to the United States of the merchandise undergoing appraisement at which such or similar merchandise is freely sold or, in the absence of sales, offered for sale in the principal markets of the country of exportation, in the usual wholesale quantities and in the ordinary course of [677]*677trade, for exportation to tlie United States, pins, when not included in such price, the cost of all containers and coverings of whatever nature and all other expenses incidental to placing the merchandise in condition, packed ready for shipment to the United States.

Inasmuch as the plaintiff has conceded that it must establish all the elements of export value, as hereinbefore set forth, to sustain its burden of proof in support of its alleged export value, plaintiff cannot take the position that various elements of the alleged value are severable according to the reasoning set forth in United States v. Fritzsche Brothers, Inc., 35 CCPA 60, C.A.D. 371, but must proceed to establish by proof, conforming to all the provisions of the export statute, export value independent of and different from the appraised value. The real issue in this case is, then, whether the plaintiff has fully met its burden of proof so as to establish an export value for the merchandise at bar different from the export value found in the Government appraisal.

The evidence in this case consists of the oral testimony of two witnesses called by plaintiff and three documentary exhibits offered by the plaintiff. The official papers in both appeals were received in evidence without being marked. The defendant offered no evidence.

Edgar P. Perilstein, vice president of H. Perilstein, testified in substance as follows: H. Perilstein was the actual importer of the involved merchandise but entry was made in the name of the plaintiff, a customhouse brokerage firm, for the account of H. Perilstein; that since 1898 his company has been engaged in the business of wholesale glass jobbers and installers; that in 1962 the American producers from whom his company previously bought its merchandise became unable to supply all of H. Perilstein’s requirements for certain glass materials ; that, therefore, he, the witness, contacted Pilkington, the manufacturer and exporter of the “Armourplate Glass” here under consideration and inquired whether the said company could supply the tempered glass for acrylic casting.

The witness further testified that Pilkington, located in St. Helens, England, maintained a sales office in Toronto, Canada, through which it contacted United States customers. In answer to the Perilstein inquiry concerning Pilkington’s ability to supply the necessary merchandise and for a quotation on prices, its Toronto office mailed to Perilstein a letter dated January 15, 1963, plaintiff’s exhibit 1. In this letter, the exporter advised Perilstein that it could supply the requirements of that company and quoted certain prices for various sizes of Toughened Plate.” These quotations included the price of “189 cents per sq. ft.” for the type of %-inch glass here involved. In the same letter, the exporter stated that the quoted prices applied to orders of less than 10,000 square feet, and that “For orders in excess of [678]*67810,000 sq. ft. the following rebates apply to sizes in excess of 15 ft. super only.

10,000 ft. up to 25,000 ft. 5% rebate
25,000 ft. up to 50,000 ft. 7% % “
In excess of 50,000 ft. 10% “ ”

It should be noted that the quoted rebates applied only to “Toughened Plate” % inch thick.

Mr. Perilstein further testified that, late in 1963, Pilkington reduced its price on “Armourplate Glass” of the type here involved by 5 per centum to meet United States domestic competition. The witness stated that this reduction was communicated to Perilstein by telephone and later confirmed by letter. According to the witness, this was “an over-all reduction in addition to the quantity discounts” (R. 18-19).

Under cross-examination the witness admitted that he did not know what prices were offered by the exporter to any other purchasers. On redirect examination, Mr.

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Related

Allen Forwarding Co. v. United States
60 Cust. Ct. 925 (U.S. Customs Court, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
57 Cust. Ct. 675, 1966 Cust. Ct. LEXIS 1725, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/allen-forwarding-co-v-united-states-cusc-1966.